


Bad Timing

by Dreamelilly018



Series: Moments Through History [5]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Developing Relationship, F/M, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-05-18
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:48:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24260851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreamelilly018/pseuds/Dreamelilly018
Summary: Tom Dupain reflects on the news of him being a father when his mother calls for a family meeting.
Relationships: Gina Dupain & Tom Dupain, Gina Dupain/Rolland Dupain, Rolland Dupain & Tom Dupain, Sabine Cheng & Gina Dupain, Sabine Cheng & Tom Dupain, Sabine Cheng/Tom Dupain
Series: Moments Through History [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1733572
Kudos: 9





	Bad Timing

**May 3rd, 1987**

Tom exchanged a worried look with his mother. She had been the only one in the room who remained silent while Rolland had quickly assured the despondent Sabine that she wouldn’t have to worry about finances and just to focus on herself and their unborn child. But behind his assuring voice and confident demeanor, there was a low tremor that only his son and wife noticed. All three of them knew this wasn’t the right time for a baby. With Sabine’s counseling for what her parents did to her and the rising costs of keeping the bakery open, there was no money left to be saved for the future.

The only reason why they had risked the expensive medical bill for taking his girlfriend to the doctor was by how thin she had gotten and how she couldn’t keep anything down. What they had expected was some virus that could be treated with some inexpensive antibiotics or her staying off her feet and resting. Not the news of another arrival joining the family in the next six months.

“Now go upstairs and get some rest,” Rolland Dupain said to the woman, pausing to hand her a basket that contained a few samplings of their wares down in the bakery below. “Take this upstairs and stay off your feet for the rest of the day...”

Blue eyes meeting Tom’s green eyes, the nineteen-year-old reluctantly took the basket. “Are you sure that I can’t man the counter or something?” she asked softly, nervously shifting from foot to foot. “With a baby on the way, I should pull more weight so that it’ll lessen the expenses that need to be paid.”

It was Gina who spoke this time. “Which is why Rolland is having you rest,” she said, giving the young adult a stern but gentle look. “Carrying a baby takes a lot of energy and with how much weight you have lost, it would be best that you did less work around the bakery. You need at least gain thirty pounds for the baby and you to be at a healthy weight when the little one is born.”

“Okay...” Sabine gave a curt nod, glancing up at Tom. “Does Tom need to work right now or can he come upstairs for a bit?”

Tom wanted to respond that he would be up there soon but he knew the answer. While his mother was in her mid-thirties and his father in his early forties, it wasn’t hard for him to notice how hard it was getting for them to lift the heavier items. “They-“ he began.

“We don’t need him until the evening rush,” Gina explained, reassuring Sabine and Tom. “Rolland and I just need to speak to Tom for a few minutes. Go upstairs and get some rest. He will be up shortly.”

Giving a small nod, the nineteen-years-old headed towards the back staircase. Once she was out of sight, Gina turned to Rolland and Tom...

“Family meeting in the kitchen,” she said, walking between the broad frames of her son and husband. “We have some stuff we need to talk about.”

“Is it going to be a long one, Mom?” Tom Dupain asked as he took the rear as he glanced at the clock. “I don’t want to keep Sabine waiting for long. She gets rather panicky if I delay too long on coming up after telling her I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

Gina paused in the doorway to the kitchen. Swinging around on the ball of her feet, she faced her twenty-two-years-old son. “It shouldn’t take that long,” she promised quickly. “Maybe fifteen minutes at the longest, Tom.”

“Sabine will most likely be asleep by the time you get up there,” assured his father.

“She looked quite tried before retiring for an afternoon nap,” Gina added, going into the kitchen with Rolland following behind her. “You have nothing to worry about.”

Tom paused briefly before entering the kitchen. Glancing at his shoulder at the staircase that would lead upstairs, the broad-shouldered baker's son let out a Sigh. Hopefully, his girlfriend would be asleep by the time he came upstairs. He still needed some time to think about how they were going to proceed with the recent news and everything else.

“Come on, Tom,” his father called as Rolland settled on one of the few stools in the kitchen. “The longer you stand there, the longer Sabine is waiting for you.”

“Coming,” Tom said as he stepped into the kitchen and closed the door behind him.

It was time for the meeting to begin.


End file.
